GENERAL COURSE DESCRIPTION

This introductory course is based on the works of psychologists Stanley Milgram, Ph.D, author of the classic book, Obedience to Authority; Philip Zimbardo. Ph.D., famed for his Stanford Prison Experiment; and on two articles and two chapters from the forthcoming book, Standing Up to Experts and Authorities, by Sharon Presley, Ph.D. The course covers the basics of why people willingly obey authority, even when it is unjust, as well as techniques for resisting and standing up to authorities when appropriate to do so. The course will cover situational factors that influence obedience, the impact of implicit social roles that induce unthinking obedience and personal characteristics that help some people to resist. Also included are strategies for thinking critically about experts and authorities and standing up to them effectively when appropriate.

The course is comprised of seven articles and one interview. The interview with Sharon Presley, discussing the Milgram experiment, sets the stage for an understanding of the powerful impact of situational factors in inducing willingness to submit to authority and why that can be dangerous. The second, "Reflections on the Stanford Prison Experiment," expands on the role of nonpersonality factors, including the unquestioning acceptance of implicit social roles, and suggests strategies for guarding against potentially dangerous influence of unjust authority. The third, "The Present and Future of Obedience to Destructive Authority," brings the obedience research up-to-date, discussing more recent partial replications. The fourth article, "Not Everyone Obeys: Personal Factors Correlated with Resistance to Unjust Authority," draws attention to the personal characteristics that help people resist unjust authority. The fifth article, "Dr. Z's 20 Hints About Resisting Unwanted Influences On You," provides some strategies for making yourself less vulnerable to influence. The sixth, "The Seduction of the Situation," discusses how to recognize the situational factors in everyday life that make people vulnerable to the influence of authority. The seventh, "From Victim to Warrior: How to Stand Up to Experts and Authorities," gives practical strategies based on research that will help people question experts and stand up to authorities in appropriate and effective ways. The final article provides references and resources.